


New Part Of My Heart

by MistressOfNightmares



Series: Found My Way Again [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Catatonic Jason Todd, Gen, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Ra's is an asshole, Talia isn't having any of his bullshit tho, nothing new there, or without lazarus at all i guess, pre-lazarus jason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-02-23 00:21:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23636023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressOfNightmares/pseuds/MistressOfNightmares
Summary: Five-year-old Damian returns home from exhausting, months-lasting tutelage...to find more than one heart waiting for him.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Damian Wayne, Talia al Ghul & Damian Wayne, Talia al Ghul & Jason Todd
Series: Found My Way Again [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701580
Comments: 39
Kudos: 440





	New Part Of My Heart

**Author's Note:**

> First ever fanfic on AO3 (and in general) yaaaay  
> Inspired by a tumblr post (https://sirgnomethegiant.tumblr.com/post/612632469266726912/another-headcannon-talia-doesnt-throw-jason-in), in which Talia doesn't push Jason into Lazarus but takes in the brain-dead boy and loves him as her baby. Dames doesn't know of difference between Jason al Ghul and Jason Wayne so when he visits Gotham...  
> Hope you will like it

Damian wanted to say he was tired- no, _exhausted_ from the traveling and all he wanted was to have a little bit of sleep in Grandfather's private plane. But there was a problem with that. Two problems. One was that Grandfather would not be pleased if he found out Damian needed rest because of a simple, pathetic thing such as jetlag. The other was that the anxiety and anticipation practically spasmed in his blood, forbidding him from falling asleep. He barely kept his leg from pouncing.

Five-year-old looked out the window as the familiar sight of an ancient city came into view, hidden in the embrace of the tall mountains. Nanda Parbat.

The plane began to descend on a clearing in the area that belonged to a compound. Damian's home.

He took in a breath and stood from his seat, looking to see the guards already carrying his belongings and waiting for him to take the first step outside. And step out he did.

He quickly took notice of the figures before him. A tall, imposing man with a green cloak of the finest cloth, a golden-hilted sword strapped to his hip and gray hair slicked back. Toxic green eyes met Damian's and a slow, gradual smirk curled on the man's crinkled lips. Damian resisted a flinch bravely.

A step behind and to the right of the man was a woman, standing tall and regal, with hands folded behind her back. Black and gold silk tunic, skirt and leggings wrapped around her body, a wicked blade on her side as well. Shiny brown hair framed her beautiful face as the green eyes stared impassively at Damian though the boy was sure he saw her arm twitching lightly.

"Damian," Grandfather greeted him, a smirk still in place. "Welcome home."

Damian bowed, lowering his head to the man. "Grandfather," he replied stiffly, straightening up his spine like a metal stick, gaze hardened as he stared at mirrorly colored ones of the elder

"Have you learned well from your tutors?" Ra's rumbled.

"Of course," Damian replied confidently, a trance of huff in his voice, offended at any other implication.

"Good," Ra's responded. "I expect a full demonstration tonight."

Damian's hard facade faltered for a moment before he recomposed himself. "As is expected of me, Grandfather."

Ra's' smirk widened and he nodded in satisfaction before flicking a hand lightly. "Good. You are dismissed till then. I am certain you would love to have quality time with your mother till the evening," he grinned, gaze sweeping to look at his daughter's.

Talia did not respond but merely met her father's gaze steadily, indifferently. Though Damian blinked we he saw a slight narrowing of them, green growing firm like steel. He stopped his eyes from widening when he saw Ra's' grin faltering a little, lips pressed together.

Anyone could read displeasure. Yet Talia did not react. She did not back down. If anything, the determination grew in her posture, hands coming to rest on her sides, stance slightly widening, chin raising a smidge.

Damian blinked in confusion.

Without another word, Ra's turned around and walked away into the compound. The mother and son watched him until they saw the end of his cloak swish behind a corner.

"Mother," Damian breathed as he looked at her, allowing tension to fade away from his shoulders.

"My prince," Talia greeted back, eyes softening and a gentle sigh leaving her nostrils. "Let us get you settled in," she said and with a quick motion called the servants forward.

Damian merely nodded and fell silent as he followed the Daughter of the Demon through the compound, observing and remembering his home, what changed and what stayed the same. The bugs inside his limbs buzzed harder now and he was surprised that he wasn't shaking. The blood pumped in his ears, the sound of his rapid heart clear and loud in his ears.

They finally reached Damian's quarters in the private section of the compound, where only his, Mother's and Grandfather's chambers were, as well as few private sitting rooms, offices and a dining room

The servants left Damian's belongings after Talia told them they would take care of it themselves. Most of them looked a bit surprised at the statement but no dared argue with the Demon's Daughter so they merely bowed and left.

The two stood in silence for a few moments, the buzzing now deafening in his ears. He looked up and opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when Mother looked at him.

Every single cold wall melted off her face, replaced by shiny emerald eyes and a bright, luminous smile. "Habibi."

Damian didn't waste a single second in quickly stepping forward and launching himself in his mother's arms as she dropped to her knees, wrapping his arms around her as much as he could, face buried in his chest. Inhaling her strong, spicy scent.

Her arms were like a vice around him, but warm, strong. Safe. She held him close and buried her face in his hair, taking in deep, measured breaths, occasionally pressing soft kisses to his scalp. "I have missed you, Habibi," she murmured softly.

Damian's voice cracked so he swallowed and tried again. "Me too, Ummi," he mumbled, rubbing his cheek gently over her tunic, relishing in the feeling of her soft hair tingling his face, coming to cocoon him in safe darkness. He let go of any scrap of composure, dignity and coldness as his mother held him, just like she had months ago when they said goodbye.

Talia gripped his shoulders as she pressed a deep, tender kiss to his forehead. She leaned back and breathed in and out deeply, a soft, tired but happy smile curling on her lips.

Damian blinked. "Mother?"

Talia's smile grew, a glint of something- excited, Damian dared to say, shining in her eyes. "I have a surprise for you, my prince."

"A surprise?" Damian wondered, his insides encouraged at Mother's happiness, thus making him excited too.

"Yes," Talia breathed and stood back up, offering him her hand. "Come, I will show you. A wonderful thing occurred."

Damian took her hand, larger and slender and long in his own small one, as well as incredibly warm. The effects of Lazarus, of course. One day, Damian's will be as well.

She led him down the hallway into one of the sitting rooms, gently and quietly opening the doors- which should have been the first sign something was unusual. She stepped slowly inside and let Damian do as well. The curtains were drawn over the windows, casting the room in darkness, safe for the bright, warm light that ignited from the fireplace in his center of the room.

Damian blinked and narrowed his eyes. There was a dark figure sitting cross-legged just before the fire.

But...it couldn't have been a servant. They looked too small, too young. Not to mention only Damian and his family were allowed here. And yet, Mother seemed casual in knowledge this person would be here.

Damian shifted lightly. Something in the air had changed.

Talia took in a deep breath and squeezed Damian's hand. Her eyes turned to him, soft green glowing in the darkness. "Damian," she started, free hand raising to point at the figure. "I would like to introduce you to your older brother."

Damian stopped short, staring up at Mother wide-eyed. "What? _Brother_?"

Talia smiled softly at him, eyes half-lidded and eyebrows pinched slightly. Sorrowful. "Yes, Habibi. I apologize for not telling you earlier. The situation was...complicated. Your brother was hurt very badly and he came here to live a better, more peaceful life than...than." Her eyes burned bright as she looked over at the figure. "He is an Al Ghul, after all."

Damian looked between Talia and the boy- his _brother_ \- helplessly, but words slowly settled in his mind. He breathed in, and looked at his mother, voice uncertain as he uttered, "Hurt?"

And for the first time that day, Talia's smile faded and her jaw tightened. She did not respond and merely looked over at the back of the figure.

"My phoenix," she called softly.

For a few moments, nothing.

Then, the boy shifted. Damian blinked as the other stood up, movements slow, yet graceful and smooth, as if every motion was predetermined.

The boy turned around to face them and Damian felt himself stir in discomfort.

He wasn't unusual in appearance. He appeared to be about a decade older than Damian, with strong, athletic physique, though slender…skinny, more like. He wore some League garbs, a red tunic and black pants and blouse, light boots on his feet. A mop of midnight black hair- much like Damian's own- adorned his head and...sky blue eyes. Huh. Damian reminded himself it wasn't unusual, he just...the guards wore masks and the only eyes he saw in his home were of Lazarus green.

However, as normal as he looked, there was...something odd in his gaze.

It was...empty. Hollow. Devoid of any emotion or thought. Damian was quite sure he wasn't even directly looking at him or his mother.

Sensing his discomfort, Talia squeezed his hand strongly, before lifting her other one, palms up, to the elder boy. "Come, my phoenix."

The boy looked impassively in Talia's general direction, still as a statue. Finally, he made a slow move forward, then other, then other, as he strode over to stand right in front of the woman. He paused for a moment before his hand finally slowly raised in the air, carefully coming to press against Talia's palm. Damian awed at the way Talia beamed at the other boy.

Talia turned to both of them, facing them towards each other. "My phoenix, this is your little brother, Damian."

The older boy didn't say anything, his hazy, yet somehow sharp eyes staring through Damian. The young boy looked back at his mother, brows furrowed in confusion and, perhaps, just a little bit of disappointment.

Talia let out a forlorn sigh. "He cannot speak, I fear. Result of his many injuries. His body may be well, but his mind…"she mumbled, brushing her thumb over the boy's knuckles. "Is in fragile order. One mistake and it may shatter all over again."

Damian frowned, looked down at his feet then up at the older boy for a few beats. Turned to his mother. "Are you going to heal him with Lazarus?" he muttered. He couldn't see why not. In fact, if his brother was here a while, like….like this, he was surprised Mother didn't do so already. Grandfather never liked any semblance of weakness, mental or physical. In fact, that made Damian curious, how come Grandfather tolerated the older boy in this state at all?

Talia's eyes narrowed as she observed the boy's face, jaw set. "No," she replied, voice quiet, but confident, commanding. "His mind needs gentle care. The Pits will only serve to sever it further."

Damian nodded slowly, looking back at the boy, who still stared at him intently. To his surprise, his brother slipped his hand out of Mother's grip, hovering it in the air…before holding it before Damian, palm up.

Damian looked to Mother with wide eyes and she smiled and gave him a nod in encouragement.

He looked uncertainly up in the blue eyes and slowly, cautiously pressed his palm to his brother's. The older boy's fingers automatically came to close around Damian's palm gently, almost as if exploring his skin there. His hands with large and unusually cold, colder than even Damian's which…didn't add up for multiple reasons, the fireplace, the warm League's garbs, the probably adequate circulation- his brother certainly trains. Or, trained. His fingers were filled with various uneven bumps and callouses as well as countless small, white scars, wrapping all around them.

He looked back up at the teen and felt…strangely calm. He was sure the cold expression didn't change an inch, but…there was something that shifted in those blue eyes.

"Damian," Talia spoke softly, smile cordial and maternal on her lips. "Say hello to Jason."

Damian allowed himself a small smile, only minimally shaky. "Hello, Akhi."

Jason didn't speak, but his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, fingers coming to hold Damian's small hand in a tight, protective grip.

Damian couldn't help a grin, a spark of hope flaring in his chest.

Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

He always wanted a brother anyways.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> Habibi- My love/Beloved  
> Ummi- Mother  
> Akhi- Brother


End file.
